Water and Sewer Department
Kensington Water Main Project
The Kensington water main and lead service line replacement project will begin the week of July 22 and will be substantially completed by early October.
Project plans are available at this link
The new water main will be located underneath the sidewalk on the north side of the street. It will be installed by directional drilling, which will not require an open cut excavation for the entire street, but will require a series of excavations along the sidewalk where gate valves and fire hydrants are located. The project plans available at the above link show the location of where the excavations will be located at the Woodward intersection, and at 15, 37, 39, 53, 55, 75, and at the train tracks.
On-Street Parking and Driveway Access
No on-street parking will be allowed between 7am and 5pm. The contractor will need room to work on the north side of the street. We will be temporarily allowing on-street parking along Indiana for Kensington residents as needed during this project.
During some periods of the water main installation process the contractor will need to lay assembled sections of new water main on the ground crossing driveways. This will cause temporary blockage of the driveway. The contractor can lift the pipe for you to get into or out of your driveway while they are on-site working, but be aware that if they are not on-site you may have your driveway blocked. Please plan accordingly, as this will be a periodic inconvenience.
Lead Service Line Replacement
All lead service lines will be replaced as part of this project. The service line is the pipe that runs from the water main to your water meter and supplies water to your house. There are two parts of the service line: 1) the publicly owned portion between the water main and the stop box, which is located along the sidewalk, and 2) the privately owned portion between the stop box and the water meter inside of the house. Please refer to this illustration.
All properties will have a new public service line installed from the water main to the curb stop box that is next to the sidewalk. If any portion of the private service line between the stop box and the water meter inside of the house contains lead, we will replace the private service line as well. All new service lines will be 1” diameter copper line. If your existing private service line is copper, it will not need to be replaced.
The process to replace the service line requires our contractor gaining access to your basement. Our contractor will work to ensure that your basement and yard are not disturbed to the greatest extent possible, and in most cases the only exterior excavation needed is a 5-foot by 5-foot area at the stop box by the sidewalk. If your basement is finished and walls or millwork must be removed to access the service line, you will have to arrange for repair or replacement of that on your own.
Once your service line is replaced you must flush your plumbing. Click here for flushing instructions.
Restoration
All concrete and lawn areas disturbed during the project will be replaced. Lawn areas will be replaced with topsoil and seed. Homeowners can elect to have sod replacement at a cost of $375, which is the cost difference between seed and sod restoration. Contact City Hall at 248-541-2901 if you would like to elect for sod replacement.
Water Infrastructure Funding Citizens Advisory Committee
The Citizens Advisory Committee has completed its work and issued a unanimous recommendation. The City Commission received and filed the CAC report on April 12, 2022.
- CAC Final Report
- CAC Document Library – includes all documents reviewed by the CAC, meeting agendas and minutes, and other background information
- CAC Meeting Videos
Water Infrastructure Project Information
- Water Infrastructure Project Details
- Water Infrastructure Project Frequently Asked Questions
- Water Infrastructure Update – Federal Infrastructure Bill (12/15/21)
- Detailed Water System Material Inventory Project Information (January-February 2022)
Water Infrastructure Background Documents
- Water Infrastructure Project – Engineer’s Probable Estimate of Costs – The estimate of costs provides the baseline for the City’s Asset Management Plan and our budget and rate setting decisions.
- Pleasant Ridge Water Asset Management Plan (2021) – This document presents the City’s 30-year plan to replace our water infrastructure. The plan was approved by EGLE.
- Water Quality Testing Results – Sampled lead levels in water for all public water systems in the State are available at the above link. The allowed maximum limit for lead in water is 15 parts per billion. Pleasant Ridge had a sampled lead level of 4 parts per billion in 2020, well below the maximum allowed.
- Preliminary Water System Materials Inventory by Service Address – The preliminary material inventory shows the information the City has about the service line at each service address in the City. This inventory is based on City records and assumptions about the type of material used before and after 1936.
- Water Distribution System Reliability Study and Master Plan (2016) – Master Plan for maintenance of water distribution system. This document identifies necessary projects. Its implementation was paused by the new EGLE lead and copper rules, but it is the basis for the need to replace our water mains for reliability and fire flow.D
Utility Bill Fact Sheet
Click Here for information about the components of your utility bill (water, sewer & garbage pickup).
Water and Sewer Topics
Water bills are issued on a bi-monthly basis, and cover the January-February, March-April, May-June, July-August, September-October, and November-December billing periods. Bills are issued bythe end of the month following the end of the billing period, and are due about one month after they are mailed (check the bill for the exact due date). This means that the bill for the January-February billing period will be mailed to residents towards the end of March, and will be due towards the end of April.
If you do not receive a water bill by the first week of February, April, June, August, October, or December, please contact the water department for a duplicate bill. Failure to receive a bill does not waive past due penalties.
Payments may be mailed to City Hall, returned to City Hall during regular business hours, or left in the drop box at the rear entrance (off the parking lot) to City Hall. Payments left in the drop box will be credited the next business day. Postmarks are not honored for mailed bills, so please allow seven days when mailing your payment to be sure that it arrives here before the due date.
If you have interruptions in or problems with your water service contact City Hall at 248-541-2901 during regular business hours, or 248-624-6366 when City Hall is closed.
The Oakland County Water Resource Commissioner provides water system maintenance for Pleasant Ridge on a contract basis.
Income qualified households in Pleasant Ridge are eligible to receive assistance with water bill payments, along with certain other household plumbing repairs. The WRAP program is administered for Pleasant Ridge and the Great Lakes Water Authority by the Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency. More information on the program, eligibility criteria, and services is available by calling (313) 386-9727, or online at www.waynemetro.org/wrap. You can also click here for a flyer with further information on the program.
Click Here to access the most recent and archived water quality reports for Pleasant Ridge.